Positive displacement container



June 13, 1967 B. HANSEN POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT CONTAINER Filed Oct. 22 1965 B 02 HAINSEN 1N VENTOR.

3,325,063 POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT CONTAINER Borg Hansen, Los Angeles County, Calif. (1568 Ensley Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90024) Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 500,525 4 Claims. (Cl. 222390) This invention relates to containers and more particularly to a novel container for releasably storing or holding a variety of fluids and substances which may be positively displaced from the container via a suitable dispensing nozzle.

Numerous ways and means have been employed in the past for effecting the dispensing of fluids and substances from storage containers. Such means are known which employ the force of gravity as well as employing various means to apply a differential pressure in order to dispense the stored fluid or substance from the container. Generally, problems have been encountered when employing such conventional means which stem largely from the fact that undesirable free air pockets, air bubbles in the fluid, entrapped air or the like may be introduced into the interior of the container and into the stored fluid or substance. This problem is particularly acute in the field of vacuum packaging for the food industry since food spoilage oftentimes results from the presence of contaminants in entrapped or entrained air. Furthermore, the presence of dissolved air in stored fluids has been known to accelerate erosion of the container walls, particularly in the case of metal containers.

The presence of free air, entrapped air or dissolved air in a fluid container not only leads to contamination of the fluid per se but contributes to an uneven flow of fluid from the container so that precise metering of the fluid through a dispensing nozzle is made extremely difficult. In some instances the fluid flow through the nozzle may take the form of pulses which does not lend itself to controlled dispensing of the fluid. The net result is generally an oversupply or an undersupply of dispensed fluid which, in turn, creates additional problems for the user.

Still another problem encountered when employing conventional fluid dispensing containers resides in the fact that oftentimes it is diflicult, if not impossible, to completely dispense all of the stored substance held by the container. Squeeze type tubes such as are employed for holding and dispensing toothpaste are illustrative of a container which employs finger pressure to force the contents therefrom through a nozzle; however, such a method does not effectively dispense a final quantity of substance held by the container adjacent the nozzle after the bulk of the substance has been dispensed. The use of this small quantity of substance is lost to the user when the container is discarded.

Accordingly, the problems and difliculties encountered with conventional containers are obviated by the present invention which incorporates a novel positive displacement concept wherein a container is provided with an adjustable bottom movably secured to the inner wall of the container which is adapted to force a substance enclosed by the container through a dispensing nozzle under positive pressure of the adjustable bottom. In this fashiom the substance in the container is displaced in a positive fashion from the bottom of the container to the top of the container where the nozzle is strategically located. By employment of the adjustable bottom, the contents of the container between the bottom and the top is completely filled at all times regardless of the amount of substance which may have been previously dispensed so that the presence of air is eliminated. Reliance upon gravity feed or pressure differential is completely obviated and the adjustability of the bottom is manuallyactuated so United States Patent that metering of the substance through the dispensing nozzle can be readily controlled. In one form of the invention, a feature of the invention resides in providing a separate cap portion and dispensing nozzle which when the container is in storage will readily display advertising or identification nomenclature while the nozzle is in a non-operative condition and when the container is used, the dispensing nozzle can be placed into an operative condition and the advertising or identification nomenclature discarded. Furthermore, as the adjustable cap progresses toward the top, the inside surface of the container is wiped clean and any remaining substance or content is easily removed from the raised bottom.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel positive displacement container for dispensing fluids or substances through a dispensing nozzle which will effect the dispensing of all of the fluid or substance contained or enclosed within the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel container employing positive displacement dispensing techniques by employing an adjustable bottom cap which is movably secured to the inside wall of the container whereby the cap may be manually positioned between the opposite ends of the container to force the contents thereof through a dispensing nozzle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel container having an adjustable means for forcing the contents thereof through a dispensing nozzle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel container having an adjustable means for forcing the contents enclosed by the container through a dispensing nozzle whereby the amount of contents being dispensed may be readily metered therethrough with respect to quantity and flow of dispensing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel container which includes movable means for dispensing the contents of the container through a dispensing nozzle whereby a constant vacuum is maintained within the container so as to prevent the contamination of the container contents.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel positive displacement container wherein the dispensing nozzle may be suitably arranged in a storage position so as not to protrude beyond the contour of the container when not in use and wherein the dispensing nozzle may be rearranged to an operative position projecting from one end of the container when the dispensing nozzle is intended for use.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel positive displacement container whereby means are provided for displaying advertising or identification nomenclature when the contents of the container are in storage and wherein such means may be readily discarded once the container has been placed into use for dispensing the contents thereof.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the novel positive displacement container of the present invention illustrating the dispensing nozzle in its operative position for dispensing the contents thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the dispensing nozzle employed in the embodiment of FIGURE 1 as taken in direction of arrows 2-2;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom elevational view of the novel positive displacement container illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the novel container illustrated in FIGURE 1 showing the dispensing nozzle arranged in its storage or non-operative position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a suitable sealing means which may be employed in the container illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to the view shown in FIGURE 5 illustrating another embodiment of a sealing means;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of a modified container similar to the container illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of another modification of the present invention which may be referred to as a positive displacement gun.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-3, a novel positive displacement container is indicated in the general direction of arrow 10 which includes a cylindrical body 11 having an interior bore or wall 12 in which is formed a spiral groove or thread 13. The thread 13 is disposed between the opposite ends of the body 11; however, it is to be noted that one end of the thread 13 terminates at an inwardly projecting annular flange 14 formed in the body 11 which may be considered the bottom of the container. The flange 14 is provided with a counterbore 15 that is coaxial with the bore 12 of the container. The opposite end of the body 11 from its bottom end is provided with an external thread 16 which may be employed to mate with internal threads provided on a cap 18 which is provided with a ring 19 having an opening 20 defined by an annular edge. Disposed on the forward or front end of the body 11 is a removable wall member 21 which is held in place between the forward end of body 11 and the inside of the cap 18.

The wall member 21 is formed with a novel dispensing nozzle 22 which projects from one surface of wall member 21 through the opening provided in the cap 18. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, the dispensing nozzle includes a pair of elongated slots or recesses 23 through which the contents of the container 10 may be dispensed exteriorly thereof. The pair of dispensing slots are separated by means of a web section 24 so that the dispensing slots are separate and operate independently to more precisely meter fluid therethrough.

The bottom of the container is provided with an adjustable bottom disc 25 having a fluid engaging surface 26 and a thread 27 which is in operable contact with the spiral thread 13- provided in the bore 12 of the body 11. The side of the disc opposite to its fluid engaging surface 26 is indicated by numeral 28 and is formed with a slight curvature and with a pair of projections 30 and 31 which are disposed normal to each other as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The projections are employed for the purpose of finger gripping so that the bottom disc 25 may be rotated on its threadable connection with the body 11 to force the contents in the container through the recesses 23 of the nozzle 22. The extreme outer ends of the projections 30 and 31 are arranged to reside within the counterbore 15 of the body flange 14 when the bottom disc 25 is in its extreme bottom position whereby an annular surface 32 thereof butts against the inside of the body flange 14. In other words, the extreme ends of the projections 30 and 31 and the external periphery of the bottom 25 define an annular surface 32 which bottoms against the body flange 14.

The wall member 21 is provided with an external surface 31 from which the nozzle 22 projects and on which suit-able indica or nomenclature may be imprinted or marked thereon. Such indicia is made visible through the space defined by the annular edge 20 in the cap 18. The inner surface of the wall member 21 opposite to surface 33 defines in cooperation with the surface 26 of the bottom disc 25 and the bore 12 of the body 11 a storage chamber in which a variety of fluids or substances may be stored within the container 10.

As the bottom disc 25 is rotated manually via the projections 30 and 31, the bottom 25 rotates by means of its threaded connection with the spiral 13, and the fluid or substance disposed within the container between the wall surfaces 26 and 34 are forcibly urged through, the dispensing slots 23 in the nozzle 22. Preferably, the container and its components may be fabricated from plasticlike materials or other suitable materials having a high strength-to-weight ratio.

With reference to FIGURE 4, the nozzle 22 is shown as being projected into the interior of the container so that the nozzle is rendered inoperative. The dispensing slots 23 are covered by a paper or cardboard disc 35 which is situated between the wall surface 34 of the member 21 and the ring 19 of the cap 18 so that a substantial surface area 36 is exteriorly exposed for visual notice through the opening provided in the cap 18. In this configuration, the container may be employed for shipping purposes and for shelf stocking prior to customer purchase and use. The exposed surface 36 may display suitable indicia or nomenclature to identify the product contained within the container 10 or may include various instructions as to the use of the contents or any other suitable information. A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the construction of the container permits the nozzle to be rendered inoperative until use at which time the cap 18 may be removed, the disc 35 discarded, and the position of the nozzle 22 reversed to its operative condition as shown in FIGURE 1 followed by the replacement of the cap 18 with its threaded connection 16 and 17 to secure the nozzle disc in place.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-4 is suitable for use as a baby feeder whereby as the adjustable bottom disc is moved in the direction of the top member 21, the contents of the container will be forcibly urged through the feeder nozzle 22 which is suitably shaped to fit in a babys mouth.

With reference to FIGURE 5, a sealing means is provided for the periphery of the wall member 21 which may be included for vacuum packing situations. For example, the periphery of the member 21 may be encircled with a suitable elastomeric seal 40 which includes a central annular recess 41 into which the annular edge of the member is received. The ring portion of the cap 18 forcibly urges the seal 40 against the end of the body 11 to prevent the breaking of any vacuum created within the container.

With reference to FIGURE 6, another embodiment for a suitable sealing means is shown wherein the peripheral edge of the top plate is provided with opposite facing grooves 42 and 43 into which a pair of annular elastomeric seals 44 and 45 may be located. Similar to the emobdiment shown in FIGURE 5, the ring portion of cap 18 when tightened on the body 11 squeezes the seals 42 and 43 against the end of body 11 to effect the leakage of air or fluid therebetween. Similar seals to the sealing means 40, 43 and 44 may be employed about the annular edge of the adjustable bottom disc 25 if desired.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, another embodiment of a container is shown which includes a body portion 46 and a movable bottom disc 47 threadably engaged with the inner bore of the body 46 in the same fashion as described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGURES l4. However, the body 46 is closed on its end opposite to its end carrying bottom disc 47 by means of a lid 48 which is threadably engaged with the body 46. The bottom disc 47 is shown in its extreme bottom position against the body flange 50 in fluid sealing relationship. The bottom 47 is movable towards the lid 48 through the use of the screw action existing between the threadable connections of the bottom disc 47 with the body 46. The external side of the bottom disc has raised areas or projections for easier finger contact when operating the bottom disc. As the content is being removed from the container, the bottom disc is moved through the body 46 and thereby the remaining substance in the container is relocated in a more convenient position. The inside surface of the body 46 will be wiped clean and the remaining content is easily removed from the raised bottom. A suitable application for the container as illustrated in FIGURE 7 may reside in a lipstick product or other cosmetic products such as cold cream or the like.

With reference to another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGURE 8, a container is indicated in the direction of arrow 51 which may be referred to as a positive displacement gun. In this embodiment, an opening 52 is provided in the bottom 53 of the container 51 which provides access and guidance for the insertion of a socket wrench (not shown) which may be fitted into a square hole 54 provided in the adjustable bottom disc 55. It is to be understood that different configurations or adaptations of a lid 56 may be attached to the top of the container 51 through which the contents of the container may be dispensed.

Therefore, it can be seen that a novel positive displacement container is provided "by the present invention which provides a convenient and reliable means for forcibly urging the contents of the container through a dispensing nozzle or container opening. In all embodiments of the invention as shown, the operative coupling between the bottom disc and the body wall defining the longitudinal bore insures adequate sealing so as to prevent any loss or passage of substance therebetween. The peripheral edge of the disc presents suflicient sealing area in contact with the body wall to effect the prevention of substance passage therethrough even as the disc is rotated and thereby moved axially through the body bore. Additional sealing is effected when the external edge marginal region of the movable disc butts against the internal face of the body flange which is particularly useful for long periods of storage. As noted, sealing mean in the form of the means shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 may also be incorporated into the movable member or disc if desired. It is to be understood that the container of the present invention is susceptible for many uses and applications.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A container for releasably holding a quantity of substance comprising:

a cylindrical body having a central bore formed therein opening exteriorly of said body at its opposite ends; one end of said body constituting the bottom of the container and having an integral flange projecting inwardly into said body bore terminating in an annular periphery coaxial with respect to said body bore; a nozzle means detachably secured to the end of said body opposite to its bottom end including dual dispensing passageways integrally formed therein and adapted to be arranged in an operative position to dispense the substance and a non-operative position;

a cap means detachably connected to said body including a ring portion for securing said nozzle means to said body;

a removable disc disposed between said nozzle means and said cap means for blocking the dispensing of substance when said nozzle means is in its nonoperative position;

a spiral thread formed in said body bore situated between said body flange and said nozzle means; and

a rigid rotatable disc operably coupled to said body spiral thread for rotary and axial movement through said body bore for effecting positive displacement of the quantity of substance exteriorly of said body via said nozzle means when said nozzle means are in its operative position and said rotatable disc being completely housed by said cylindrical body.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotatable disc constitutes the bottom of the container and includes radial projections formed on the external surface of said movable means for manual gripping purposes wherein said projections are adapted to extend outwardly and to a raised height immediate of the external surface so as to fit within a counterbore defined by said body flange with the terminating outer ends of said projections substantially encircled by said counterbore when said mova ble means engages with said body flange.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said removable disc includes a surface area adapted to display indicia marked thereon; and

said cap means having an opening formed in said ring portion for exteriorly exposing said surface area so as to display the indicia.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including fluid sealing means carried by said nozzle means disposed between said body and the periphery of said nozzle means, which sealing means includes an annular washer composed of compressible material seated adjacent said cap means and said nozzle means so as to sealingly separate said cap means from said nozzle means and to interfere with the flow of the substance when the substance is being dispensed from said nozzle means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 253,280 2/1882 Grout 222-390 635,154 10/ 1899 Smreker 222- 390 X 1,342,639 6/1920 Marcuse 222-539 X 2,136,979 11/1938 Mureau et al. 222390 X 2,171,302 8/1939 Conner 222539 2,392,007 1/1946 Spinola 15-557 X 2,642,608 6/1953 Hartmann 15-557 X 3,059,820 10/1962 Gabler 222-390 X FOREIGN PATENTS 41,839 9/ 1925 Norway.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING A QUANTITY OF SUBSTANCE COMPRISING: A CYLINDRICAL BODY HAVING A CENTRAL BORE FORMED THEREIN OPENING EXTERIORLY OF SAID BODY AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS; ONE END OF SAID BODY CONSTITUTING THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER AND HAVING AN INTEGRAL FLANGE PROJECTING INWARDLY INTO SAID BODY BORE TERMINATING IN AN ANNULAR PERIPHERY COAXIAL WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY BORE; A NOZZLE MEANS DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE END OF SAID BODY OPPOSITE TO ITS BOTTOM END INCLUDING DUAL DISPENSING PASSAGEWAYS INTEGRALLY FORMED THEREIN AND ADAPTED TO BE ARRANGED IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION TO DISPENSE THE SUBSTANCE AND A NON-OPERATIVE POSITION TO A CAP MEANS DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BODY INCLUDING A RING PORTION FOR SECURING SAID NOZZLE MEANS TO SAID BODY; A REMOVABLE DISC DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID NOZZLE MEANS AND SAID CAP MEANS FOR BLOCKING THE DISPENSING OF SUBSTANCE WHEN SAID NOZZLE MEANS IS IN ITS NONOPERATIVE POSITION; A SPIRAL THREAD FORMED IN SAID BODY BORE SITUATED BETWEEN SAID BODY FLANGE AND SAID NOZZLE MEANS; AND A RIGID ROTATABLE DISC OPERABLY COUPLED TO SAID BODY SPIRAL THREAD FOR ROTARY AND AXIAL MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID BODY FOR EFFECTING POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT OF THE QUANTITY OF SUBSTANCE EXTERIORLY OF SAID BODY VIA SAID NOZZLE MEANS WHEN SAID NOZZLE MEANS ARE IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION AND SAID ROTATABLE DISC BEING COMPLETELY HOUSED BY SAID CYLINDRICAL BODY. 